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Native Plant Society of Texas

Fall Aster

Symphyotrichum oblongifolium

Other common name(s):

Aromatic Aster

Family:

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Central Great Plains, Cross Timbers, Edwards Plateau
Limestone Plains
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland, Llano Uplift

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Herbaceous

Height

1
to
3
ft.

Spread

2
to
3
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Calcareous, Dry, Moist, Rocky, Sand, Well Drained

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Low

Native Habitat

Grassland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Purple

Bloom Season

Fall

Seasonal Interest

Forage, Larval Host, Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

Wildlife Benefit

Bees, Birds, Browsers, Butterflies, Moths, Small Mammals

Maintenance

It is very adaptable and has become popular in gardens throughout Texas. Similar to S. patens which prefers the eastern half of Texas. Provides dazzling color in the fall. Slowly colonizes by stolons. If it gets top heavy, prune it back in June. Wait to cut back to the basal rosette until late fall or early winter when plant has stopped blooming and is dormant. Native habitat: calcareous prairies.

Description

Blooms September-December. Forms dense, low mounds of aromatic foliage. The flowers are composite with purple ray flowers along their edges and yellow disk flowers in the center. The fruit is a cypsela: a dry, one-seeded fruit, usually topped by pappus. Game birds and browsers eat the seeds and sometimes foliage. Larval host: Silvery Checkerspot and many other moth species.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Aster kumleinii, Aster oblongifolius, Aster oblongifolius var. angustatus, Aster oblongifolius var. orientis, Aster oblongifolius var. rigidulus, Lasallea oblongifolia, Virgulus oblongifolius

References

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed No Treatment If seeds are sown directly, sow them five-eighths of an inch deep in the fall and sow thickly. Plant a cover crop of a cool-season annual grass over the seedbed to protect seed over the winter. Seeds can be collected from wild plants in late fall when the achenes (dry fruits) separate easily from the receptacle. Seeds should be collected in paper bags and allowed to dry for 1–2 weeks. 1) https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/factsheet/pdf/fs_syob.pdf 2) https://growitbuildit.com/aromatic-aster-symphyotrichum-oblongifolium/#:~:text=Aromatic%20Aster%20can%20also%20be,to%20a%20new%20colonizing%20plant.
Seed Stratification If seeds are to be propagated in a container, they should be stored for 1–3 months at 30–40 degrees Fahrenheit before sowing. Many species of Aster benefit from moisture during the cold storage (stratification) period. Use a perlite/vermiculite mix for stratification. The seed will germinate in 10 to 15 days at 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Germination to true leaf stage is 7 to 15 days. Seedlings should be thinned at this stage. Seeds can be collected from wild plants in late fall when the achenes (dry fruits) separate easily from the receptacle. Seeds should be collected in paper bags and allowed to dry for 1–2 weeks. https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/factsheet/pdf/fs_syob.pdf
Rhizome Division Given this plant spreads by rhizomes and division is a great way to propagate. It can be formally divided every 3-5 years. But in reality, if one wants to propagate new plants you only need to cut and plant the newly emerging shoots in Spring. If a stalk has at least a few roots, then planting it in the cool Spring soil is all that is needed to give birth to a new colonizing plant. https://growitbuildit.com/aromatic-aster-symphyotrichum-oblongifolium/#:~:text=Aromatic%20Aster%20can%20also%20be,to%20a%20new%20colonizing%20plant.

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason